Skillmatics' First to 5 (item SKILL1001FTF), the box our link goes toPhoto: Skillmatics
What's in the box: category and letter cards, pens and a notepadPhoto: Skillmatics
Everyone writes at the same timePhoto: Skillmatics
Five words, the open letters, then shout Stop!Photo: Skillmatics
The wild card: pick your own letterPhoto: Skillmatics
Some of the 200 category cardsPhoto: Skillmatics
Video

Party word game

First to 5

Race to write five words that fit the category and letters

2–8players · best with 3-6
15–30 minplaying time
8+recommended age
Learning curve
Very easy1 / 5
EasyDemanding
Luck & skill
Mostly skill
LuckSkill
Interaction
Medium
Set-up
About 2 min
Reading
Some

The quick verdict

Full verdict ↓

Great for Families with children from about 9 who read and spell with confidence

Think twice if Some of your players don't yet read and write English comfortably

How we rate it

Learning curve. Write five words that fit; the letter points and the wild card take one round to understand. It sits with UNO at 1 on our scale, even if the words themselves can be hard.

Luck & skill. Everyone shares the same letters and category, so the luck of the draw hits all players alike; vocabulary, speed and picking unusual answers decide the game.

Interaction. Everyone writes at once and on their own, but other players' answers can cancel yours, and the first to finish stops everyone.

Set-up. Hand out pens and notepad sheets, shuffle the letter and category cards, and turn over four letters, a wild card and a category.

Reading. Players read a short English category card, then write and spell five English words each round.

Learning curve: 1 = UNO or Connect 4; 3 = Catan; 5 = a heavy strategy game. These describe the experience, not an overall score.

Is First to 5 right for you?

Great if

  • Families with children from about 9 who read and spell with confidence
  • Groups of up to eight: there are eight pens in the box
  • Anyone who enjoys category-and-letter games and wants a scoring twist
  • A gift for word-loving teenagers and grown-ups

Skip it if

  • Some of your players don't yet read and write English comfortably
  • Your family dislikes arguing over whether an answer counts
  • You want a game with no writing: you need the pens and notepad, or your own paper once the pad runs out

A place on the honours list

Good company to be in.

Recognition from beyond our table.

Parents Best Toys Awards, Best Game for Quick Thinking (tweens and teens), 2025 (Winner)

How First to 5 plays

Set-up: give everyone a pen and a sheet from the notepad. Turn over four letter cards, a wild card and one category card, such as 'Things that are smaller than your fist' or 'Actions in a recipe'.

  • Time to teach: about 5 minutes.
  • Reading and language: It is a word game in English: players read a category card and write English words that start with given letters, so reading, spelling and vocabulary all matter. Families can agree to accept Hindi or other words, but the letter cards use the English alphabet.
Everyone writes at the same time · Photo: Skillmatics

First to 5 | Category Game with a Twist | Ages 8+ | Skillmatics · Skillmatics · Official

If this creator doesn’t allow embedded playback, watch on YouTube ↗.

A turn, step by step

  1. 1
    Flip

    Turn over four letter cards, a wild card and a category card.

  2. 2
    Write

    Everyone races to write five words that fit, starting with the open letters, or all with one letter of their own for the wild card.

  3. 3
    Score

    The first to finish shouts 'Stop!'; unique words score their letter's points, and the most points wins.

Read the official rulesFirst to 5: how to play (Skillmatics India product page) · English
The full explanation: how a game of First to 5 goes

The race: everyone writes five different words that fit the category at the same time. Each word must start with one of the four open letters, and you may use the same letter more than once.

The wild card: instead, you can start all five words with one letter of your own choice, as long as it isn't one of the open letters. Skillmatics' example for 'Actions in a recipe' is mix, melt, mince, microwave and measure, and its pictures say a wild-card round scores 15 points.

Stop and score: the first player to finish shouts 'Stop!' and everyone puts their pens down. Read out your words; a word someone else also wrote scores nothing. Each unique word scores the points printed on its starting letter card, so harder letters are worth more, and the player with the most points wins.

Tip: decide before you start how many rounds to play and whether plurals or brand names count. With younger players, go easy on spelling and let a quick table vote settle doubtful answers.

What's in the box

What's in the box: category and letter cards, pens and a notepad · Photo: Skillmatics
  • 200Category cards
    prompts such as 'Things that are smaller than your fist' or 'Actions in a recipe'
  • 30Letter cards
    each letter carries a points value
  • 8Pens
  • 1Notepad
  • 1Instruction manual

Box: 16 × 16 × 7.5 cm, 0.73 kg. Handy to know for gifting and travel.

Contents are from Skillmatics India's product page and its 'What's Inside' picture for this box (item SKILL1001FTF): 200 category cards, 30 letter cards, 8 pens, 1 notepad and an instruction manual; Skillmatics' international shop and the Amazon.in listing facts list the same. There is only one edition.

Where to buy

Check price on Amazon.in
How to make sure you get a genuine copyEditions and the details worth checking.

About the editions

First to 5 is Skillmatics' own game, and Skillmatics' product page gives India as the country of origin and Grasper Global Private Limited of Mumbai as the manufacturer. There is no imported version to look for. Our Amazon.in link goes to Skillmatics' First to 5 box.

Before you choose

  • The box should say Skillmatics and First to 5, with 'A category game with a twist', ages 8-99 and 2-8 players.
  • Inside: 200 category cards, 30 letter cards, 8 pens, a notepad and an instruction manual.
  • Skillmatics' barcode for this box is 8904279507500 and its item code is SKILL1001FTF.
  • Skillmatics names Grasper Global Private Limited, Mumbai, as the manufacturer; look for that name on the box.
  • Other games are called First to Five; make sure the listing names Skillmatics.

What reviewers and players say

First to 5 is one of Skillmatics' newer games. Parents named it the Best Game for Quick Thinking in its 2025 Best Toys Awards for tweens and teens, and its testing families said everyone from young children to parents enjoyed it, the youngest playing on a team. We found no other independent reviews or forum threads. On paper it takes the familiar category-and-letter idea and adds two smart twists: letters carry points, so rare letters are worth the risk, and a wild card rewards anyone who can find five words starting with one letter of their choice. Because it is a writing game in English, it suits confident readers and grown-ups more than young children.

What people love

  • Everyone writes at once, so there is no waiting for a turn
  • Letter points and the wild card add real choices, not just speed
  • Up to eight players, with eight pens in the box
  • Category cards such as 'Actions in a recipe' leave room for clever answers
  • Parents' testers found the whole family could play, with younger children on a team

Common complaints

  • Apart from Parents' award write-up, no independent reviews yet, so it is hard to say how well the 200 category cards last
  • Arguments over whether an answer fits are likely, and the online rules don't settle them
  • The notepad will run out eventually, so keep some paper handy
Based on 5 reviews and discussions

Summarised in our own words from the sources above. We don't use Amazon reviews or ratings.

More like First to 5

SIDE BY SIDE

Which game is the best fit?

Our picks if First to 5 isn't quite right.

Swipe to compare every game

First to 5 and alternatives: reasons to consider them, players, play time, age, rules and Indian editions.
Compare
the games.The details that make a difference.		 YOU’RE VIEWING
First to 5 box First to 5
ANOTHER WAY TO PLAY Rapid Rumble box Rapid Rumble ANOTHER WAY TO PLAY Name 5 box Name 5 ANOTHER WAY TO PLAY Boggle box Boggle
Why consider itThis game

Race to write five words that fit the category and letters

A different fit

Skillmatics' category race with letter cards, shouted instead of written

A different fit

Name five things in a category before the sand timer runs out

A different fit

Another write-it-down word race, finding words in a grid of letter cubes

Players2–82–52–41–6
Best with3-63-542-4
Play time15–30 min20–30 min30–45 min10–30 min
Age8+6+8+8+
RulesEasyEasyEasyEasy
Indian editionAvailableAvailableAvailableImported
On this pageExplore Rapid Rumble Explore Name 5 Explore Boggle
FOLLOW THE MAKERS

More from Skillmatics

Another way into their collection.

5 games to explore
Deduction
Guess in 10: Animal Kingdom box

Guess in 10: Animal Kingdom

Ten yes-or-no questions to name the hidden animal

2–6 players20 min6+ years
 Word games
Rapid Rumble box

Rapid Rumble

Roll, flip a category, and shout words before the timer ends.

2–5 players20–30 min6+ years
 Steady hands
Sizzle box

Sizzle

Place magnets inside a loop without letting them snap together.

2–4 players5–15 min15+ years
 Tile laying
Connectors: Mission Space box

Connectors: Mission Space

Link picture tiles into a path through planets and galaxies

2–4 players10–20 min6+ years
 Speed and reflexes
Crossover box

Crossover

Race to empty your hand by linking pictures and categories

2–8 players5–10 min7+ years
EXPLORE THE STYLE

More word games

Different games. A familiar kind of fun.

Explore this style
Clues and guessing
Taboo box

Taboo

Get your team to guess the word without saying the obvious ones

4–10 players20–60 min13+ years
 Word games
Rapid Rumble box

Rapid Rumble

Roll, flip a category, and shout words before the timer ends.

2–5 players20–30 min6+ years
 Word games
Boggle box

Boggle

Shake the letter cubes and find words before time runs out

1–6 players10–30 min8+ years
 Speed and reflexes
Crossover box

Crossover

Race to empty your hand by linking pictures and categories

2–8 players5–10 min7+ years
 Memory
Who Saw What? in 60 Seconds box

Who Saw What? in 60 Seconds

Study a busy picture for 60 seconds, then shout what you saw

3–6 players15–20 min7+ years
A TABLE FOR TWO

Also playable with two

For game nights with two players.

5 games to explore
Word games
Boggle box

Boggle

Shake the letter cubes and find words before time runs out

1–6 players10–30 min8+ years
 Speed and reflexes
Super Math Spy box

Super Math Spy

Race to build an equation that hits your mission number

2–4 players15–20 min7+ years
 Steady hands
Sling Puck box

Sling Puck

Two players, ten pucks, one slot: clear your side first

2 players2–10 min5+ years
 Word games
Junior Crossword box

Junior Crossword

Build crossing words and find a better home for every letter

2–4 players30–60 min (est.)7+ years
 Speed and reflexes
Perfection box

Perfection

Race the clock, or a friend, before the shape tray pops

1+ players5–10 min5+ years

Also worth a look (not in our catalogue yet): Scattergories – The classic write-it-down category-and-letter game.

Questions people ask about First to 5

How do you play First to 5?

Turn over four letter cards, a wild card and a category card, then everyone races to write five words that fit the category and start with the open letters. The first to finish shouts 'Stop!', unique answers score the points on their starting letters, and the player with the most points wins.

How many players can play First to 5?

Skillmatics says 2 to 8 players, and the box has eight pens and a notepad. It gets more interesting with more players, because an answer someone else also wrote scores nothing.

What does the wild card do in First to 5?

It lets you pick your own starting letter, as long as it isn't one of the open letters, and start all five words with it. Skillmatics' pictures say a round played this way scores 15 points.

Is First to 5 made in India?

Skillmatics' product page gives India as the country of origin and names Grasper Global Private Limited, Mumbai, as the manufacturer.

What age is First to 5 for?

Skillmatics says 8 and up, and the box says 8 to 99. Players need to read a category and spell words quickly, so confident readers will enjoy it most; younger children can team up with an adult.

Game facts

Publisher
Skillmatics (Grasper Global Pvt Ltd, Mumbai, India)
In India
Skillmatics (Grasper Global Private Limited, Mumbai), which makes the game
First published
2024
Players
2–8
Barcode
8904279507500
Language
Needs English – It is a word game in English: players read a category card and write English words that start with given letters, so reading, spelling and vocabulary all matter. Families can agree to accept Hindi or other words, but the letter cards use the English alphabet.
Box size and weight
16 × 16 × 7.5 cm, 0.73 kg
Awards
Parents Best Toys Awards, Best Game for Quick Thinking (tweens and teens), 2025 (Winner)
Sources & photo creditsThe references behind this guide.

Facts on this page come from the publisher, the Indian maker or distributor, and the sources below. Photos are credited under each one.